Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-03-17
OLD CURIOSITY SHOP.
A PLACE FULL OF STRANGE AND
VALUABLE ARTICLES.

VALUABLE ARTICLES.
Raintings Worth = Fortune-Aicxander
Hsmilton'~ DueIinG Pistoi--A South
erner'. Mist.ke-A Package Of Dia-
monds-story of . Photograph.
"Yes, I have received many curious and
antique articles since began business thirty
five years ago" said Robert Taggart 10 a re-
porter the other day. Mr.. Taggart is n pio-
neer in the storage business and his establish
n,ent is filed with old objects, each of which
has an interesting history.
Snow, among a vast collection of fine paint
ings which l got in the course of bust
ness continued Mr.. Taggart, -are two
which have been told time and again are
originals by Rubcns. One represents the
alteration OF the Saviour in the stable Of
Bethlehem The subject Of the other do
not know, as have never met any one who
could tell me. There is an inscription on this
picture in one of the dead languages, be-
lieve, because have never been able to find
any one learned enough To translate it The
picture represents a queen on a magnificent
throne giving orders apparently to some Of
the royal guards"
How did you become possessed Of the
pictures." asked the rporter.
@The day the first gun was fired at Fort
Sumter a gentleman who was very well
known here then anil hated equally as well
for his ayowed sympathy with the southern
cause came into my place and told me he in.
tended going south and aiding the Confedcr-
ates with his money and every way else he
could He asked n e to take his household
furniture on storage
You wont have to keep them long, - b,
said The south will win sure, and I'll re
turn to New York, for l can't live anywhere
else
NEVER CALLED FOR
Il took his furniture. but it has never been
called for He raised a regiment south and
fell at Bui Run with his two sons at his side
He hal no near relatives to mourn his loss and
81 have his furniture still The Rubenses
were among his ctattels and also picture of
Murillo, for wnich had been offered So, ,OO0.
There is practically no price on the Rubenses.
Besides these pictures mentioned have as
fine a gallery Of paintings any connoisseur
would wish to look at. have always been
fond of pictures and never tried to dispose of
Va NhtIi, sohic VI tLeuh Wouiu
bring fabuloup prices"
Among 9th r. articles which Mr. Taggart
showed to the reporter WAS Il pair of beauti-
full dueling pistols iIlaid with solid gold and
silver, which are the ones, Mr.. Taggar1 says,
used by Alexander Hamilton in his deadly
encounter with Burr on the EIysian fields,
where Weehawken is now growing up. The
pistols were once owned by Gen. Grant, but
they passed from him to another branch of
the family, and finally came into the posses
sion of q Broadway jeweler, who is unfor-
tunately addicted to drink During one Of
his periodical sprees he placed the pistols.
with some other property, on storage with
Mr.. Taggart IN order TO raise money enough
to continue his debauch- He never callel for
the weapons and the mans wife wants them
sold, as she says she hates to see them lying
around the house when her husband is ON q
spree
About two months ago. said Mr. Tag
gart, q a well lressed middle aged man came
into my place and, handing me small
chamois bag, asked me how much l would
ask to keep it for him for day or two with
out examining the contents. Twenty five
cents l replied
AS W
"Well, sir, the fellow kicked like q mule
He swore he wouldn't pay such an outrageous
price, and finally beat me down to twenty
cents for two days. Next day adjective from
tie Central office came in looking for such a
bag. and told me the fellow who had left it
with me was a famous western crook and
that he had him locked up in the Tombs l
went down there with the bag, which was
opened in presence Of the judge and found to
contain diamonds valuei at nearly $l00, 1000
IL surprised ME that a man wishing and think
ing he ould safely conceal such a pl,Inder
would kick about the cost, especially when
you consider the little asked him
oh, this i, the saddest thing ever recol-
iect," continued Mr.. Taggart, as he showed
the reporter photograph of a laughing, fresh
faced. curly haired girl .sShe came into my
place one day about two years ago and put a
few little effects in storage. Next morning
she jumped from a ferIyboat into the North
river. When her body was recovered my re-
ceipt for her furniture was all that was found
ON her i buried her and then proceeded to
trace her history Ii was the old story She
was the darling daughter of curate in q
Ii lie country town in the north of the state.
A city stranger met and wooed her secretly
and she finally consented to elope with him
When they came TO this city he deceived her
further by mock marriage, and when he
finally deserted her she found out that he was
gambler. Then she determined to kill herself
Her sad end, which could not help telling
her father and mother, broke their poor old
hearts and they soon followed her to the other
world
Among many other curious things which
Mr. Taggart has are skeletons, coffins, grand
fathers clocks, horses, sheep, COWS, in fact all
kinds Of animals and fowl, and as curiosity
shop in every respect his place cannot be
beaten.-New York Journal Interview.
,uAyu-